US Citizen in Cancun, passport expired today, what to expect?

March 6, 2016 5:16 PM

I flew into Cancun from the US yesterday and stupidly did not check the expiration date on my passport. The US Consular Agency in Cancun opens 8AM tomorrow, and my flight back to the US is at 2:30PM on Tuesday. I'll go to the Consular Agency as soon as they open, but does anyone know what I should expect? Is there a chance to receive emergency travel documents on the same day, or will I have to change my flight?
posted by Dipped Pretzels to Travel & Transportation around Mexico (5 answers total)

I only have one anecdote for an example. My brother got stuck in Germany on an expired passport and had to spend at least a couple extra days there. (I don't remember exactly how many, it was a long time ago.) You'll probably have to change your flight.
posted by Ms Vegetable at 6:21 PM on March 6, 2016

I think you have reason for optimism. Back in 2009, while my newlywed wife and I were waiting for the taxi to whisk us off to the airport so we could start our honeymoon in Europe, I realized my passport was expired. Thankfully, I have dual citizenship with Ireland and was able to fly out on that passport, however in order to reenter the U.S. on anything other than a temporary basis, I had to have an "emergency" passport issued at the consulate (Edinburgh, Scotland in my case.) We had to waste a day at the consulate and I had to fill out the forms and get new passport photos taken (which was trickier than you might think as many places didn't cut the photos to the specific measurements required for a U.S. passport) but I was able to get an emergency temporary passport issued which I picked up the next morning (would have been same day but they were having all sorts of computer problems and technical glitches.) When I got back I mailed both the expired passport and the temporary one to a passport office and a permanent one was issued and sent to me. Hopefully, you'll meet with similar good fortune.
posted by Rewind at 8:12 PM on March 6, 2016

My dad has his passport stolen in Rome and we were in and out in 1-2 hours, I would recommend getting in line early to avoid any delay as we'll as having any cash. Also if you can get the passport pics done it will also,help with the day. Good lucky!
posted by aggienfo at 9:46 PM on March 6, 2016

I had this happen to me. Immigration in the US didn't really care. Trying to go back into Mexico with an expired passport on the other hand did not work out well.
posted by hobo gitano de queretaro at 12:59 AM on March 7, 2016

You already know what your answer is by now, but here's some total anecdata for future askers: A friend of mine lost her passport in France in 1995. We went to the consulate in Paris in the morning and picked up the new passport the next day (she had thoughtfully left a photocopy of it with her parents, who faxed it to the consulate). I can only imagine that it is faster 20+ years later, with all our technological advances, and especially when it's only expired and not actually lost.
posted by clone boulevard at 10:56 AM on March 7, 2016